When Things Change
by Toria
Summary: It's the summer before sixth year and Percy's back with his family, Harry and Hermione are growing increasingly closer and Ron discovers that he's suddenly grown up following the events in the Department of Mysteries.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer:** Not mine and never will be!

**Chapter 1**

Ron knew he was moping, but he didn't care. It was the summer before his sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and he was at the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. All of his family were staying at the house, apart from his two oldest brothers, Bill and Charlie. Percy, after abandoning his family for the Ministry of Magic last year, was also staying at headquarters, although Ron had barely spoken a word to him. Harry and Hermione, his two best friends, were also staying at headquarters, much to Harry's dismay. Ron knew it was hard for Harry, since headquarters was Sirius's old house, Sirius who had so recently died. Ron knew that Harry was also upset by how much had been kept from him the year before and he knew that Harry was still very angry about the fact. The only person who Harry would talk to was Hermione and Ron was increasingly feeling very left out, no matter how much he told himself that Harry was going through a rough time and needed all the help he could get.

So Ron found himself sprawled out on one of the sofas in the sitting room while the Order meeting was going on in the kitchen. Harry and Hermione were in Hermione's room, Ginny was with the twins at their joke shop and Ron didn't know where Percy was, probably in his room. All was quiet and Ron lay back on the sofa, thinking hard. He had found himself doing this a lot recently and it was only the second week of the summer holidays, there was still five weeks left, including the whole month of August. Harry had been allowed to come to headquarters after only a week at his relatives because he was so depressed about Sirius's death, Ron knew. He had overheard Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape talking about it. Ron had to question the decision though, how wise was it to bring Harry to Sirius's house? Granted Harry seemed to be ok when he was with Hermione, hell, he practically ignored everyone else. He didn't even share a room with Ron anymore. Ron knew that headquarters was one of the safest places for Harry to be, but he still didn't think it was a wise move to bring Harry to Sirius's house so soon after Sirius's death.

Hearing the Order meeting begin to break up, Ron sat up quickly on the sofa and grabbed a book off the table to make it look like he was doing something productive. He sighed when he realised that he'd grabbed the Defence text that Umbridge had set, but he opened it anyway and began to read. He only glanced up briefly when several Order members entered the room with drinks, they'd done this quite a lot recently and they didn't seem to mind his presence. Ron was therefore shocked, when he finished chapter one and glanced up again, to see the entire Order of the Phoenix, who had been to the meeting in the sitting room, talking among themselves. Heck, even Professor Snape was there and he never hung around after meetings. Ron began to feel pretty uncomfortable but he decided that getting up and leaving would draw more attention to himself than staying would. With that in mind he began to plough through chapter two, trying to make sense of the book, which was really very boring. Absorbed in his reading, Ron tried not to listen in on the Order's conversation. He was therefore very surprised when Professor Dumbledore spoke to him.

"Mister Weasley, may I have your opinion on something please?" Professor Dumbledore asked him.

Ron looked up from his book, shocked. "Yes Professor," he answered, wondering what his opinion was wanted on.

"We are discussing security around Hogwarts, Mister Weasley," Professor Dumbledore told him, "and I am wondering what you think about security on Hogsmeade weekends?"

"Erm... well, there doesn't seem to be all that much security at all," Ron said. "Because everyone goes his or her separate way and it's very easy for any witch or wizard to get to Hogsmeade, whether they are good or bad," Ron said truthfully, looking at Professor Dumbledore.

"And do you think, as a student yourself Mister Weasley, that students realise this lack of security?" Professor Dumbledore then asked.

"Some of the older students probably do, especially given the state of things now," Ron answered. "But the younger ones probably don't, in a way they're too innocent and think that no one would dare attack Hogsmeade. I know I did when I was first allowed to go, and that was when Sirius had just escaped from Azkaban and everyone thought he was a mass murderer. And even then I still encouraged Harry to sneak out to Hogsmeade," Ron said, painfully truthful.

"Ronald! Please tell me you done no such thing," Mrs Weasley scolded her youngest son.

Ron fixed his eyes on the floor and whispered, "for what it's worth; I'm sorry." He could feel his cheeks and the tips of his ears turning red; embarrassed at the fact his mother had scolded him in front of several members of the Order of the Phoenix. But he had been pretty stupid, that he knew now. He'd grown up a lot since that fateful night in the Department of Mysteries. He started when a heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he looked up quickly into Alastor Moody's eyes.

"You're a truthful one, that I can see," moody said. "And nothing bad came out of it that time, just be grateful that you didn't have to learn the lesson the hard way."

"I am, Sir," Ron told him, once again showing how much he had grown up recently.

"And what do you think should be done about Hogsmeade weekends then, Mister Weasley," Professor Dumbledore asked, getting the conversation back on track.

Ron took a deep breath. "It might be best to cancel them," he said, not meeting anyone's gaze in the room. "With the current circumstances, they're too dangerous, even if there was more security. I mean, say the worst did happen and death eaters did attack, how many students are going to be able to protect themselves? I'm going into my sixth year at Hogwarts and I know that while I'd be able to protect myself, I wouldn't be able to protect very well and I'd be worrying about everyone else. But how can you expect a third year to hold their own against a death eater? Plus, people can wander off by themselves at Hogsmeade, there's no rule saying that you have to stick together. And while there are usually people in the centre of Hogsmeade, students don't just stay there; they also wander to the outskirts, especially the Shrieking Shack. I think that it would be fairer to cancel the trips for everybody, because I think that even seventh years would struggle against death eaters and also the dates of the trips are easy to get hold of," Ron spoke from his heart and what he thought was right. He finally allowed himself to meet Professor Dumbledore's gaze and wondered why the man had a slight smile on his face.

"You have grown up a lot, Mister Weasley," Professor Dumbledore commented. "And what you have said is very wise. I think I will take your advice and cancel all Hogsmeade trips, but wont the students miss them?"

"Yes," Ron said bluntly and he received some shocked looks. "But safety has to come first and maybe the prefects and the Head Boy and Head Girl could organise some other activities, ones which everyone could take part in, including first and second years as well."

"You have become very wise, Mister Weasley, this I can see," Professor Dumbledore praised. "Yet I can not help wonder why?"

Ron looked at the floor before answering. "I don't want a repeat of what happened last year. I can't change what happened, but looking back now I can see where I could of handled things differently, so that what happened might not have happened. It's not all my fault, but I can accept my share of the blame. I learnt this lesson the hard way, and paid the ultimate price for it," Ron told him. He felt moody give his shoulder and gentle squeeze and that gave him the courage to look up.

He managed to see that Professor Dumbledore was smiling at him before his mother gathered him into a crushing embrace. "Mother!" he protested, but he hugged her back all the same. He sat on the sofa next to his mother now, and let his father ruffle his hair. It was then he noticed Professor Snape frowning at him and he couldn't help but wonder why.

The meeting didn't last much longer and his mother, of course, invited everyone to stay for dinner. Professor's Snape, Dumbledore and McGonagall declined, but Professor Flitwick deemed to stay. Moody, Tonks and Kingsley Shacklebolt said they'd stay, as did Remus, but Hagrid said that he had to be getting back. Mundungus Fletcher also said he'd stay, much to Molly's displeasure. Soon after, the people who were leaving left, and those staying remained in the sitting room. Ron picked his Defence text up and made to leave the room.

"Weasley," Moody called as Ron made his way to the door.

Ron turned around. "Yes, Sir?"

"I can see why Professor Dumbledore made you a prefect now, and I must say that I think it's a very good choice," Moody told him.

"Thank you, Sir," Ron told him. "But I wasn't like this last year. I've had to grow up a lot recently. I didn't deserve to be prefect last year and I can only hope that I will do a better job next year," Ron said frankly. Moody just nodded at him, so Ron left the room and walked up the stairs. He knocked on Hermione's door and called; "The Order meeting just broke up. Moody, Tonks, Remus, Flitwick, Shacklebolt and Mundungus are downstairs, they're staying for dinner."

"And Dumbledore?" Harry's voice questioned through the door.

"He's already left, as has Professor Snape, Professor McGonagall and Hagrid," Ron told him.

"Ok, thanks," Hermione called.

Ron took the hint to go away and wandered to his own room, where he put his Defence text on his bedside table. With a muttered curse he realised that he'd left his other books in the sitting room. He ran down the stairs and into the sitting room quickly, smiling at Tonks as he collected his books and then he ran back up to his room. He washed his hands face and neck for dinner and then went to the kitchen, where he knew his mum was. His mum didn't look up as he entered the kitchen and Ron set the table without having been asked to. Because he had been a lot more observant recently, since he'd had a lot of time to himself, he'd noticed how much strain the war was placing on his mother, and it was only beginning. He could see that she was constantly worried.

Turning around, Mrs Weasley spotted her son as he finished laying the table. "Thank you Ron," she told him as she turned back to preparing the dinner.

"Do you want any company?" Ron asked. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

"You really have grown up," Mrs Weasley murmured.

"I've had to," Ron told her.

"I was so proud of you today," Mrs Weasley told him.

"I just told the truth. But please don't go telling everybody about it. I don't think it'd make me too popular if students found out that I'd helped get Hogsmeade trips banned!" Mrs Weasley just laughed at him and gave him a kiss on his cheek.

"Just don't try to grow up too quick, ok?" she told him.

"I won't mum, but I don't think that I'm going to be given much of a choice in the matter," Ron said with a sigh. "I think that my childhood ended when Harry came back from that maze clutching Cedric's body and telling us that You-Know-Who had come back." Mrs Weasley pulled her son into another hug and although he was taller than her, Ron rested his head on his mother's shoulder and closed his eyes, drinking up the feeling of being safe in his mother's arms. Presently they heard the front door slam and Mrs Black's painting began screeching. "Sounds like Fred, George and Ginny are back," Ron commented lightly.

"It looks that way," Mrs Weasley agreed, turning back to the dinner she was preparing.

"What are we having to eat, anyway?" Ron asked.

"Mince and dumplings with carrots and peas," Mrs Weasley told him with a smile, knowing that it was one of his favourites.

"Mum, you're the best!" Ron told her and impulsively leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek.

"Thank you," she told him, taking hold of his hand. "Will you please go and tell Harry, Hermione and Percy that dinner is ready?"

Ron left the room to do as he was told and took the stairs two at a time. He went to Percy's room first and got a reply that Percy wasn't hungry. He then went and knocked on Hermione's door and opened it. "My mum said to tell you that dinner is ready," he told them, sticking his head around the door. Both Harry and Hermione were sat on Hermione's bed but they both stood up when he said this. They walked down the stairs together and for a minute it felt to Ron like everything was going to be all right, it felt like it had been when the three of them were still best friends. Ron then noticed that Harry and Hermione's hands were intertwined.

_Please, please, please review!_


	2. Chapter 2

_Fuzzy – thanks! But I don't have any idea when I'm going to be able to write another chapter of New Rule... I have major writers block on that story!_

**Chapter 2**

Ron met his mother's eyes as soon as he entered the kitchen with Harry and Hermione and mouthed 'Percy said that he wasn't hungry.' Mrs Weasley nodded slightly and Ron took a seat next to Ginny. Moody came and sat on the other side of him. Harry and Hermione were sat at the other end of the table, although on the same side. Harry was once again ignoring everyone else and only talking to Hermione. Ron ate quickly and quietly, only half listening to the conversations going on around him. He didn't say much though; he was too lost in his own thoughts. Mainly about how Harry and Hermione seemed to be a couple now. Ron knew that this meant that he's be left on the outside when they got back to school as well. For dessert his mum had made apple pie and with the fresh cream that was served with it, Ron forgot about all his worries and just concentrated on the delicious flavours. And then the meal was over and everyone was leaving the room, apart from his mother. Ron stacked together dirty plates and carried them over to the sink. He felt instantly guilty when he saw the shocked look on his mother's face. "I'll wash and you dry, ok?" he asked her. She didn't protest and they completed the chore quietly.

Once the dishes were done Mrs Weasley went into the sitting room and Ron went upstairs to his room. It was only the second week of the holidays, yet Ron had already finished all of his summer homework in rough form. He still needed to copy it all up though. He also knew that no one would ever believe him if he told them that fact, because it was so different form how he used to be. He had indeed grown up a lot, and he thought that maybe now, the grown ups were starting to notice it.

Sighing, Ron grabbed his Charms work and left the room. It seemed very uninviting now that he didn't share it with Harry, all dark and glum. He made his way down to the kitchen where it was warm, light and inviting. Sitting alone in the kitchen was a lot better than sitting alone in his room. Placing his Charms work down he got some clean parchment, ink and a quill and began to copy it up. He heard someone enter the kitchen, but he didn't look up. It was probably just an Order member, and if they wanted him, they'd say so.

"Do you want a glass?" Someone offered him and he finally looked up from his work. He saw Percy stood, pouring himself a glass of milk.

"Yes please," he answered and Percy got another glass and poured the milk for him. "I think there's some left over apple pie and cream as well, if you're hungry," Ron told him, remembering that Percy hadn't had dinner. He had noticed that Percy had been skipping meals a lot ever since he had came back, and even more so when Order members weren't around.

Percy grinned at him and got the apple pie out as well and set it on the table with the two glasses of milk. "Do you mind if I join you?" he asked cautiously.

"Not at all," Ron answered off hand, focussing on re-writing a paragraph of his Charms work. He did take a sip of his milk though. Taking another sip he looked up and smiled at Percy, who had cut himself a piece of pie and was pouring cream over it. Percy then handed it to Ron and cut himself another piece. Ron couldn't help but think that it was nice to be sat in the kitchen with his older brother, doing his homework whilst eating apple pie and drinking milk. It didn't matter anymore what Percy had done. Percy had been big enough to apologise and to admit he was wrong, and yet everyone still seemed to be giving him a hard time. Ron knew that he himself had been wrong on occasion and that maybe, if he, they, hadn't treated Percy as they had always had, then maybe, just maybe, they wouldn't of drove him to the edge and forced him to do what he had. And if Percy could be big enough to apologise to the whole family, then Ron was going to try and be big enough to apologise to Percy. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Whatever for?" Percy looked genuinely confused.

"For how we always treated you!" Ron burst out. "You were always the cleverest and you were always right, yet none of us could see that! We constantly teased you and you would never retaliate. It made us think you were an easy target and we always left you out of everything. We never stopped to think about how you felt! And it's true; you don't miss something until it's gone. I realise now that I did miss you when you were away, and I can also see that I helped drive you to do what you did. None of us ever took your ambitions seriously, never thought that you'd ever achieve anything. We never understood you and never tried to understand you. We drove you to leaving, because you needed to prove yourself and I did miss you while you were gone, you're my older brother!" Once Ron had started he found that he couldn't stop.

Percy just let him talk, and once his brother was finished, he reached across the table and took one of Ron's hands in his own. "I missed you too, believe it or not. And I didn't mind the way you treated me, I just got used to it after a while. And I never understood all of you either. And the blame can also be laid on my shoulders, I said some things I shouldn't of and that I didn't mean. And face it, I'm not the easiest of people to get along with, but we can't help being different and who we are. It is what makes us, us." Ron smiled at this and Percy gave his brothers hand a gentle squeeze. "Listen to me Ron, and listen well. We're in the middle of a war, and things are going to get hard. We need to stick together, or all is lost. We need to be able to rely on and trust in each other; otherwise we're making a bad situation worse. And yes, things will go wrong. People will muck up and make mistakes and hurt ones they love. Everyone will end up apologising to each other, but once the mistake is made you can't take it back, you can only learn from it. Everyone makes mistakes, everyone. We all will, and we'll forgive each other, because if we don't, wants the point in us all being together? Families are meant to stick together, that's what families do. But that doesn't stop the mistakes from happening, and if a mistake rips a family apart, that it needs to be put right. Hurting a loved one is a bad thing and is cause for an apology, but it does not mean that you are not still family. You're right Ron, you don't know what you've got until it's gone."

Percy gave a watery smile to Ron, who returned it. "I'm still sorry," Ron whispered.

"As am I, but I forgive you and that is subject closed. It's in the past, and it can hurt, but we've got to learn from it so that it doesn't happen again," Percy said sensibly.

"I forgive you as well, Perce," Ron said, realising that no one had actually said that they had forgiven Percy.

"Thank you. You have really grown up since I last saw you," Percy told him.

"I know," Ron said. "I've had my first look at the real world I think, where it's not all fair play and I'm not all invincible and I can get injured and make mistakes."

"I take it you are referring to the events in the Department of Mysteries at the end of last year then?" Percy said, keeping a carefully controlled neutral tone of voice.

"Yeah," Ron said miserably. "We all mucked up majorly."

"And it's clear that you've learnt from the experience," Percy cut in. "And I was proud of you, when I heard about it. Right after I finished having a heart attack out of worry that is!"

Ron laughed and finally started to eat his abandoned piece of pie in front of him. "I could of handle some things differently though, and then maybe Sirius wouldn't of died."

"Don't carry the weight of the dead Ron. We each have enough to bear. Sirius's death cannot be blamed on anyone but the person who killed him. And when you look back at decisions you made, in hindsight you can always see how you could of handled things differently, especially decisions you made in the heat of a moment. As I've said, all we can do is learn from them, and next time, just try and keep a cool head when you're in a difficult situation," Percy told him wisely. "Everything seems simpler when you look back on it, but you just have to remember how you felt at the time, the panic and the not knowing what to do, to realise that nothing is ever as simple as it seems." Percy too started to eat his own piece of apple pie.

For a while they sat in silence. Ron thought that whilst sat in the warm well-lit kitchen, it was hard to remember that they were fighting a war. He felt so content and it felt that nothing bad could happen ever again. But he knew that that could never happen and the fact was that they were fighting a war. He glanced up again and saw that Percy had finished his own piece of apple pie and was sat back and staring at the ceiling whilst absentmindedly sipping at his milk. He was clearly deep in thought. It was good to have his brother home and Ron hoped that they could have more conversations like the one they had just had. Ron had always known that Percy was clever, but he hadn't known that Percy was as wise as he was. And he gave good advice, that Ron knew now. He also hoped that Percy had saw how much he had grown up, and then maybe, just maybe, if he had, he wouldn't treat him like he was a little child, the way the grown ups tended to do.

Although, earlier on the grown ups seemed to have noticed that he had grown up. Ron knew he'd grown up very fast, but suddenly he had had a lot of time to think about things and he's come to some shocking conclusions. He'd seen how things actually worked in the real world, not just the way he thought everything happened and he'd come to realise that there was a big wide-open world outside of the one he lived in at Hogwarts. A very big world.

Ron decided to break the silence. "Percy?" he asked.

"Yes Ron?"

"Will you check through my Charms homework please?" Ron asked, passing the parchment with the rough version on over to him.

Percy chuckled slightly as he took the parchment. "Only a year ago if anyone had told me that my youngest brother would be sat at the kitchen table doing his homework in the second week of the holidays, I would of taken them to St Mungo's to get their head checked out!"

Ron laughed as well. "Yeah well, I've finished all my homework in rough!" he said mock defensively.

Percy chuckled again. "I'm impressed. And this is looking good. Do you mind if I change the wording a bit?"

"Not at all, just explain everything to me," Ron told him.

"There's nothing wrong with the content, in fact it's very good, it just could be worded better in places. I see you've already re-wrote one paragraph," Percy commented and proceeded to show Ron where his wording could be better and he explained one or two things which Ron was a bit hazy on. Sat at the kitchen table, working on his homework with his older brother, Ron felt content; it felt as if nothing had ever gone wrong. Everything felt normal, apart from the fact that a year ago Ron knew that this would never had happened. He wouldn't have even looked at his homework yet and Percy would have been working on some report for the Ministry, if he was at home at all. And even if they were sat together they would probably arguing, especially if Percy was trying to help him with his homework. Yes, they had both changed a lot over the past year, and it seemed, both for the better.

"What are you thinking about?" Percy asked quietly.

"About how much we've both changed over the past year," Ron told him. "A year ago we'd of never sat like this, with you helping me with my homework unless mum had forced us to. And even then we'd be arguing."

"Then I'm glad that we've changed," Percy told him with a smile.

"Yeah, me too," Ron agreed, smiling back at his older brother.

_Please, please, please review!_


	3. Chapter 3

_Fuzzy_ – Rolls on floor laughing! Thanks!

_Duj_ – Thanks, and yeah, I agree about Umbridge's text!

_Silver Mirror_ – Thank you!

_Yeah_ – yeah, he is!

_Kungzone_ – Don't worry, he will do!

**Chapter 3**

The next time Percy looked at the clock, it was coming up to eleven o'clock at night. He knew that his mum would kill both him and Ron if she caught them downstairs this late! "Come on, Ron," Percy said. "Let's get to bed, it's almost eleven."

"What?" Ron looked up at the clock, shocked. "When did it get so late?"

Percy chuckled. "Sometime whilst we were talking and doing your homework it appears."

Ron laughed and put the ink and quill back into the draw he had gotten them from and Percy stacked the plates in the sink and began running the water. "You head up to bed," Percy told Ron. "I'll wash these up and I'll see you in the morning, ok?"

"No, Perce, I'll stay and help," Ron insisted.

Percy mock sighed. "As long as you're in bed right after!" he said, sharing a smile with his younger brother.

"And what are you going to do to make sure I am?" Ron teased. "Come and tuck me in?"

"If I have to!" Percy told him and the two shared a laugh and finished putting away the pots.

"What is going on in here?" Molly Weasley demanded, walking into the room. Then she saw both Ron and Percy. "What are you two doing down here at this time? It's eleven o'clock at night! You especially Ronald, should be in bed!"

Ron shot a sideways glance at Percy, who gave him a small smile and a roll of the eyes. Ron grinned back. "I know mum," he answered. "We were both just going up."

"And what were you doing down here anyway?" Molly asked.

"Erm..." Ron started and looked across at Percy again.

"Well?" Molly asked.

"Percy was helping me with my homework and we lost track of time mum," Ron said.

Molly had a disbelieving look on her face and Ron didn't quite manage to stifle a sigh, which both Percy and Molly heard. Molly had a look of shock on her face.

"Apologise, Ron," Percy told him quietly from behind him.

"I'm sorry mum," Ron told her, yet he didn't dare look up.

"And I'm sorry for not believing you," his mum told him, pulling him into a hug. She then pulled out and pulled Percy into the hug as well. "Now bed!" she told them when she finally let them go.

"Yes mum," both Ron and Percy murmured together. Percy took a chance and put his arm around Ron's shoulders to lead him up the stairs. Telling his brother to apologise had also been a chance, since they had only started on the road to making up tonight, but Percy could see that his younger brother was no child anymore. Ron didn't protest and allowed his older brother to lead him up the stairs. Once at Ron's room, Percy removed his arm.

"And here was me thinking that you were going to tuck me in," Ron teased and Percy playfully swatted him on his head.

"Goodnight," Percy said, heading towards his own room.

"Goodnight," Ron responded and Percy was sure that he heard a tone of wistfulness in his brother's voice.

Both Ron and Percy got changed into their pyjamas quickly and then Percy crept back along to his brother's room, just as Ron was climbing into bed. Once Percy entered, both started giggling and Percy quickly tucked Ron into the bed. "Is this house always so cold?" Percy asked.

"Always," Ron told him as he snuggled down into his bed. "I'm too old to be tucked in, really," he then said.

Percy just laughed, and then dared to give his brother a quick kiss on his forehead. "I'll see you in the morning," he told him, as he quickly blew out the candle and slipped out of the room and back down the corridor to his own room.

The next morning, both Ron and Percy slept late. Percy was the first to wake and he dressed and went down to the kitchen automatically, without thinking about it. His mum was in the kitchen, but Professor's Dumbledore and Snape also were. Percy wanted to kick himself for not thinking that order members or other people staying at the house would be in the kitchen. He was just glad that Fred and George weren't in the kitchen, because neither would speak a civil word to him. Not that he blamed them, but he knew that it was upsetting his mum, he could tell that just from the way she scolded the twins for it. Luckily he was saved from any awkward conversations by Ron entering the kitchen, still wearing his pyjamas, but he had a jumper on over the top, it was still cold in the house.

Professor Snape and Professor Dumbledore were still talking, but they did look up at the two Weasley brothers now in the kitchen. "A late sleeper, I see, Mister Weasley," Professor Snape commented.

"Well that tends to happened when you're still sat in the kitchen at eleven o'clock at night, doesn't it boys?" Molly interjected.

"Yes mum," Both of them murmured, much like they had last night, both looking suitably chastised.

Ron shared a quick glance with Percy and then quickly looked away. He looked towards the table since there was nowhere else to look and he was greeted with the twinkling eyes of his headmaster and a smirk and a raised eyebrow from his potions professor. He quickly looked back towards Percy, now certain that he could look at his brother and not dissolve into laughter. 'It's at times like this when you wonder why you bother getting up in the morning, isn't it?' Percy mouthed across to him and Ron quickly had to turn a giggle into a cough.

"Are you ok dear?" Molly instantly asked.

"I'm fine mum, honestly," Ron told and shot a glare at Percy, knowing that his brother would know that he didn't mean it.

Unfortunately for him though, his mother saw the glare and misinterpreted it. "Oh, don't tell me that you two are fighting again!" she exclaimed, exasperated. Both Ron and Percy opened their mouths to insist that they weren't fighting but she cut them off. "Well you can both sit at the table until you sort this silly argument out, you were getting along so well last night!"

"But mum..." Percy started to say.

"No buts, from either of you. Now sit!" Molly ordered and both Ron and Percy did as they told. They knew that if they argued back they would be in major trouble and you just didn't argue with their mum when she was in one of these type of moods.

So both Ron and Percy found themselves sat at the kitchen table opposite from Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape, whilst their mother was making something or other on the stove behind them. Both of the brothers looked at each other and then looked away, very quickly for fear of laughing and making the situation worse than it already was. This did not however escape the notice of one Professor Severus Snape. "So, what is this argument of yours about?" he asked silkily.

"We aren't arguing," Ron hissed at him. "And even if we were, it would be none of your business!" Professor Snape looked shocked, he had been secretly impressed with Ron's control yesterday, but now the boy had gone and spoilt it.

"Ron," Percy said quietly. "What's wrong? That wasn't like you."

"Nothing's wrong, Perce," Ron said with a sigh.

"Then apologise to Professor Snape immediately," Percy told his younger brother, whilst making a mental note to talk to Ron about what was wrong later, when they were alone. That was if he could get Ron alone and Ron didn't go off at him for making him apologise.

Instead, Ron apologised without a fuss. "I'm sorry Professor Snape," He said, looking at his teacher. "That was very rude of me." Ron then looked towards Percy for approval and was rewarded with a warm smile from his brother. Looking back at Snape, Ron was acknowledged with a slight nod of the head from his teacher.

"Well then," Albus broke the uncomfortable silence that hovered. "I think we're done here then Severus. I'll see you at the Order meeting later I presume?" Severus nodded and then stood up and left without even a backwards glance at the two Weasley brothers still sitting at the kitchen table. "You don't mind if I stay until the Order meeting, do you Molly?" he then asked.

"Of course not," Molly said as she turned around. She then looked at her two sons. "Are you two finished fighting now?" she asked.

"Yes, mum," Ron said and fled the kitchen, back up to his room. Percy looked after him worriedly.

Seeing his mother also looking worried, he said "I'll go and see if he's ok and he left the room and climbed the stairs to Ron's room. He knocked gently on the down. "Can I come in please, Ron?" he asked gently.

He received a muffled "Sure" and opened the door and stepping in to see Ron laid face first across his bed.

"What's wrong?" Percy asked, sitting down next to him.

"I finally get them all to see that I'm not a child anymore and then I go and ruin everything by acting like a complete child!" Ron exclaimed.

"Ron, you remember what I said about everyone making mistakes last night?" Percy asked.

"Yes."

"Well, mum made a mistake this morning when she thought that we were fighting, but no bad has come out of it, has it? You made a mistake this morning when you snapped at Professor Snape, but no bad has come out of that, has it?"

"You had to tell me to apologise," Ron said. "You shouldn't have had to do that. I shouldn't have said what I had at all and I should have apologised instantly."

"Ron, you're sixteen, and whilst yesterday you proved that you're no longer a child, you still have some very strong emotions which go hand-in-hand with growing up," Percy told him. "You won't always act as you did yesterday, but you've got to bounce back. People will let you off for your slips because you are a child in years, even if not one in mind. It is clear to see that what happened in the Department of Mysteries has changed you."

"It is?" Ron asked.

"Yes, it is," Percy, told him. "You've started to see things through a different point of view, you've realised that there is more than the one you know in the safety of Hogwarts Halls. I don't know much about Harry and Hermione, and I've barely seen them, but it does not appeared to have had the same effect on them as it has on you, nor on Ginny. Yes, they are all more aware of the threat, but you have seen that this also comes with doing things that aren't easy, that you don't want to do and that it isn't just about playing the hero."

"I told Professor Dumbledore yesterday that I would cancel Hogsmeade trips when he asked me for my opinion," Ron admitted in a small voice.

"Well, there you go. I doubt that even Hermione would agree with that, she'd just suggest a teacher escort or something," Percy said.

"But the teacher's can't protect everyone!" Ron exclaimed.

"Hey, I know, I agree with you on that one, but what I'm trying to say is that Hermione won't see it like that. Because Hermione's so intelligent she thinks that she'll be able to protect herself because she knows so many spells and thinks that what happened in the Department of Mysteries to her was a fluke and that she only couldn't defend herself because what was cast on her was a dark curse."

"Oh," Ron said.

"Indeed," Percy told him with a smile. "Now why don't you get dressed and we can go down and see if mum will give us something to eat before lunch since we haven't even had breakfast yet!"

"Okay," Ron said as Percy left the room. When Ron had changed and came out he found Percy sat on the stairs waiting for him. "Thanks for taking time to explain that to me," Ron said to him.

"Well, what type of older brother would I be if I didn't?" Percy asked.

"Not a very good one!" Ron joked and the two entered the kitchen laughing. No one was in the kitchen so Percy poured them both glasses of pumpkin juice and Ron found some cookies in the biscuit tin and the two sat down for their snack.

Molly entered a little while later and shook her head. "I don't think that I'll ever understand you two!"

"We weren't fighting earlier, mum," Percy told her. "We were only joking on, no harm was meant out of it."

Molly looked shocked. "Oh. I'm sorry dears," she apologised.

"It's ok mum," Ron told her. "Everyone makes mistakes and ends up apologising. You'll make mistakes again, I'll make mistakes again, everyone will make mistakes again and we'll all end up apologising."

"That's very wise," Arthur said as he entered the kitchen.

"Dad!" Percy exclaimed as he was taking by surprise by his father's voice.

"Don't do that dad!" Ron told him. "You almost gave me a heart attack! Mind you, I should probably expect to be attacked in this house!"

"Hello Arthur dear. How was work? Lunch won't be ready for a while, I'm afraid," Molly told him.

"That's ok," Arthur said as he sat down and told a swipe out of Percy's drink. Percy very quickly reclaimed his drink, causing Ron to laugh.

"And yeah, Dad," Ron began. "Someone very wise did say that to me." Percy started, but both Molly and Arthur looked at their youngest son expectantly. "My brother told me it," Ron said, smiling at Percy. Percy smiled back, but he knew that his cheeks were going pink.

"Indeed," Arthur said with a smile and he began to say something else when a loud shrieking was heard.

"I hate that portrait!" Ron groaned. "But I guess we'll just have to live with it."

Fred, George and Ginny entered the kitchen. On seeing Percy the twins froze and their looks became instantly cold. "We'll be eating in our room and then going straight back to the shop mum," Fred said. "We're really busy. You joining us Ginny?" Ginny nodded and the three left for the twins' room.

Percy just looked down at his hands, trying to ignore the obvious snipe at him, after all, being really busy had nothing to do with eating in their own room, and at the same time he was telling himself that he deserved the jibe.

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	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Ron thought quickly, he needed to get the comment about Percy out of the room and clear the atmosphere. "So mum, need any help?" he asked brightly, as if nothing had happened. Percy shot him an extremely grateful look.

"Sure, if you have nothing else to do," Mrs Weasley said.

"Nope," Ron said brightly. "What about you Perce?"

"No, I haven't got anything else to do," Percy said.

"Well then," Mrs Weasly said, business like. "I'll make the lunch, Arthur sit yourself down, relax and read the paper or something. Ron, go and see whether Harry and Hermione will be eating with us or if they want to eat upstairs. Percy can you tell Professor Dumbledore that lunch will be ready in quarter of an hour and he is welcome to eat with us and then can you two set the table. And if you've both got nothing to do this afternoon you can run to Diagon Alley for me and get some groceries. Also the floor of the Hall upstairs needs washing, I'm not sure what charm it's got on it but it needs to be washed by hand."

Ron shot a slightly panicked glance at Percy who just about managed to stifle a chuckle in time. "That's fine mum," he said. "We'll wash the floor first and then go into Diagon Alley. What time are you finishing work dad?"

"Five o'clock," Arthur said, catching on to the hidden message in his sons question. "Why don't you and Ron meet me for a drink in the Leaky Cauldron at say five fifteen and then we can head back here for dinner?"

Ron perked up immediately. "Can we?" he asked eagerly.

Molly laughed slightly. "Of course you can," she said. "Now, go on, let me make this lunch!"

Ron and Percy shared a smile and Ron ran up the stairs to Hermione's room and Percy went through into one of the sitting rooms to look for Professor Dumbledore. Ron knocked on Hermione's door a little hesitantly. "Yes?" came Hermione's voice back and Ron cautiously poked his head around the door.

"My mum wants to know whether you'll be joining us downstairs for dinner or if you want to eat up here?" he asked, in what he hoped was a neutral tone of voice. The two people in the room had used to be his two best friends.

"Up here, please," Hermione said brightly, giving him a smile, Harry didn't even look at him. Ron left the room and headed back down to the kitchen where Percy had already started to lay the table.

"Harry and Hermione will eat upstairs," he said without any emotion in his voice and Percy shot him a sympathetic smile, which Ron returned, feeling slightly better.

"Ok then," said Molly, not failing to notice her youngest sons disappointment. "It's just us four and Professor Dumbledore eating in here then."

"What are we having mum?" Percy then asked, since enticing smells where starting to drift from the stove.

"Just soup and sandwiches, I'll cook a proper hot meal tonight," Molly said. "I was thinking stew perhaps?"

"Sounds good to me, mum," Ron said.

"Indeed," Arthur said. "I'll make sure that we only have one drink before heading home so we're not late."

Molly just laughed. "Ok, you two, make yourselves useful again," she said smiling, placing to trays on the table, one with three bowls of soup and a plate of sandwiches, a jug of pumpkin juice and three glasses and the other with only two bowls and two glasses. "Don't worry, they're charmed not to spill."

Ron picked up the tray with three bowls on, deciding that it probably wouldn't be wise for Percy to deliver the twins and Ginny's food. Molly, Arthur and Percy noticed this, yet no one said a thing and Ron and Percy carefully made their way out of the room, anti-spilling charm or not.

Ron was asked questions about Percy when he entered the twins room and therefore Percy was back down in the kitchen before him. Professor Dumbledore had also joined them at the table and Ron quickly slid into his seat next to Percy and glanced at his brother and then the massive stack of sandwiches which his mother had placed in the centre of the table with raised eyebrows. "I know," Percy whispered to him and both had to stifle their laughter.

Ron picked up his spoon and stirred his soup, with was thick and an orange colour. He hoped that it was the creamy carrot and potato soup which he loved. Percy shot a grin at him, and Ron remembered that his brother liked this flavour as much as he did. He also remembered that the twins did not particularly like this flavour and he grinned back at Percy widely.

"Touché, mum," Percy commented, wondering whether or not his mum had done it on purpose. Molly just smiled at him and this time Ron and Percy couldn't hold back their laughter. Once they got themselves under control they both reached for a sandwich, noticing that there was an assortment of fillings. Ron grabbed a chicken and ham one and Percy a beef one. They both finally started on their soup as well. Percy stifled a sigh just in time, he had missed his mother's cooking, it was good to be home, even if they weren't at the Burrow, home was where his family was.

Percy and Ron concentrated on their food and let the adults talk and only said a 'Thank you' to their mum when she placed glasses of pumpkin juice in front of them. "You two are being very quiet," Arthur finally commented. Ron and Percy shared a look and just shrugged. Both reached for another sandwich, their soup long since finished. Percy couldn't remember when he had last eaten so well, he hadn't seemed to have an appetite for a long time. "It's not like we raised you to only speak when spoken to," Arthur then teased lightly.

Both and Ron and Percy dissolved into laughter once again. "Do you think that that would have been possible?" Ron then asked.

Arthur chuckled. "Probably not," he said. Percy and Ron grinned at him and even Molly and Professor Dumbledore had smiles on their faces. They sat at the table, lingering over drinks for a little while longer, Percy re-filling both his and Ron's glasses. Percy thought that it felt nice, sat around talking with his parents, younger brother and Professor Dumbledore and he didn't know how he had left this. Yet he'd changed in the last year and so had Ron. Percy was willing to bet his parents had as well.

Finally Arthur stood. "Well, I'm going to have to get back to work," he said. "I'll see you two at five fifteen, ok?" Ron and Percy both nodded.

"See you then Dad," Ron said quietly. Both he and Percy started to stack the plates and took them to the sink. Ron began running the hot water and Percy put the place-mats that they had used away whilst the sink was filling. Ron quickly began to wash the plates and Percy dried. "Oh, you two don't have to bother doing that, I'll do it," Molly said when she saw what they were doing.

"Don't worry about it mum," Percy told her. "Could you get us what we'll need to clean the upstairs hall floor?"

"Of course dear, I'm still trying to figure out what charm it's got on it, but it does come up quiet well when you hand wash it without magic," Molly commented, going to retrieve a bucket, some cleaner and some cloths.

"Yeah, that's just typical," Ron commented, causing both Percy and Professor Dumbledore to chuckle. Both Percy and Ron had forgotten he was still in the room. Before either of them had chance to say anything, there was a clatter as the twins and Ginny came down the stairs with the tray. Ron and Percy didn't fail to notice that all three of them had left most of their soup and they shared a small smile, making sure that the twins didn't see. All three, Fred George and Ginny, seemed shocked to find Percy and Ron doing the pots, that was always something their mum had done. Just then Molly entered the kitchen. "Are you off again then?" she asked.

"Yeah mum," George answered.

"Try and be back in time for dinner then please," Molly requested as the three left the house.

Ron and Percy finished the pots and picked up the cleaning supplies which Molly had placed on the kitchen table. "Will you make out a shopping list whilst we're cleaning the floor mum?" Percy asked.

"Of course dear," Molly told him. She then turned to Professor Dumbledore. "Do you want anything from Diagon Alley? The boys are going for me this afternoon to get some shopping."

Ron and Percy left the room and went to the upstairs hall. Ron sighed, it seemed massive. Percy put down the bucket of water, charmed to stay warm, on the top stair. "We might as well move the rugs first and take them downstairs, no doubt mum will want to wash them as well," Percy said and they both rolled up both of the rugs and carried them down to the kitchen where their mum and Professor Dumbledore were still talking. They were told to put the rugs on a chair. They then retreated back upstairs and looked at the expanse of floor which they had to clean.

This time it was Percy who sighed. "Come on then, we might as well get started," he said as he picked up a cloth from out of the bucket of soapy water and squeezed the excess out. "Let's start at the other end and work back towards the stairs," he then suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," Ron said as he picked up the bucket and walked to the other end of the hallway. There he set the bucket down, picked out his own cloth and got down on his hands and knees and determinedly began to scrub at the floor. Percy joined him and they found that it wasn't as hard as it had first appeared to be and that the floor did indeed look a lot better. They slowly but surely began edging their way back towards the stairs and every now and then one of them 'accidentally' got wet. It was weird to think that they were actually having fun whilst washing a floor, but they were in a way, both of them trying to be discreet when planning to soak the other and once they had finished the floor they weren't sure what was more wet, the floor or them. They went back down to the kitchen to put away the cleaning supplies, still laughing slightly.

Molly was in the kitchen, preparing what she could of dinner ahead of time and sighed when she took in the sight of her two sons. "Well, boys will be boys," she sighed and then told them not to move whilst she retrieved the camera.

"Mum…" they both complained, even though they actually wanted a copy of the picture. And they had both thrown their arms around each others shoulders for it to be took. "Now go and put of some dry clothes before you head to Diagon Alley," she scolded them both.

Both of them ran up the stairs to change and emerged downstairs in fresh jeans, t-shirts and jumpers two minutes later. Molly handed Percy the shopping list and some money. "Don't forget anything," she said. "And make sure you only stay for one drink like your Father said, I need some of that stuff to make dinner," she added.

"Don't worry mum, we will," Percy reassured her as he and Ron left, creeping past Mrs Black's portrait. Once they were out on the street they realised how nice the day was and that it just seemed cold and dreary inside the Noble and Ancient House of Black. Soon both of them had taken off their jumpers and were walking along in their short sleeves. It didn't take them long to reach Diagon Alley and Percy took the list out of his pocket. "We'll get what Mum wants first and then we'll probably have some time just to browse around," Percy told Ron, who happily agreed and they made their way towards the first store. Half an hour later they had gotten everything on their mum's list and Percy had shrunk it all and placed it in his pocket.

"So, now where do you want to look?" Ron asked him.

"I'm not bothered," Percy told him as he put the change back into his pocket. "Where would you like to look?"

"Not bothered," Ron said. It didn't matter to him because he had no money to spend.

"Well, Gringotts would be a good place to start, wouldn't it?" Percy asked.

"Erm… Percy? We don't exactly have any money to take out," Ron commented.

"Believe it or not Ron, the office of Junior Assistant to the Minister, whilst vacant at the moment, actually pays quite well, even if you only hold the post for a few months," Percy told him casually.

"Oh," Ron said shocked. "I didn't realise you'd lost your job," he said quietly.

"I didn't," Percy said. "I resigned."

"Oh," Now Ron was really shocked.

"Come on you," Percy ordered him playfully and they entered the bank. They were quickly shown to Percy's private vault and whilst there was not an excessive amount of money, there was certainly more than what Ron was used to.

Once back in the sunlight, Percy asked once again, "So where do you want to go?" he checked his watch. "We still have over an hour before we're meeting dad."

"How about Flourish and Blotts?" Ron asked.

"Not going to complain," Percy told him as they made their way over to the shop and spent a good twenty minutes looking around. Ron suddenly found himself with a list of about ten books which he really wanted, but he kept quiet. He finally met up with Percy next to the section on Charms books. Percy was holding a book under his arm. "Is there anything you want?" he asked. Ron just stared at him.

"I'm fine," he said with a small shrug.

"Suit yourself then, if you're sure," Percy said picking up another book and deciding to buy them both. "You absolutely sure?" Percy asked again.

"It doesn't matter," Ron said quietly.

"Go on, go and get what you want," Percy told him. "But don't spend too much!"

"Percy, I can't afford anything," Ron said quietly.

"I'm paying, now go and get what you want," Percy told him with a kind smile and Ron didn't feel so guilty and went to choose which book he wanted. Ten minutes later Ron had narrowed his choice down to four when Percy found him again and he himself now had three books. Percy simply picked up all four of the books and walked towards the cash desk, commenting lightly, "I think we'd better pay and leave before we end up buying the whole store!"

Ron laughed and followed his brother, eager to see what Percy was buying. Ron winced slightly when he saw what all the books came too together but Percy just paid without turning a hair up. Once back outside and Percy had shrunk the packages he looked at Ron again. "Want to look in Quality Quidditch Supplies?" he asked.

"Yeah!" was Ron's response, although he wasn't at all sure if he was going to stay on the team next year, he had a strange feeling he'd be too busy studying and taking care of Prefect duties. After ten minutes in the Quidditch shop they were back out on the street again.

"We've still got twenty minutes before we're meeting dad, just enough time for an ice-cream, don't you think?" Percy asked.

"Sure," Ron said. "But you're buying!"

Percy laughed. "Of course, I'm the one who's had a job and has the money. Plus I'm older!" And the two sat down outside the Ice Cream Parlour. It was still warm and they knew that summer was finally here. Eating an ice-cream with his brother outside in Diagon Alley on a warm summer's day Ron felt like he didn't have a care in the world.

"Hard to think that we're at war, or are going to be, isn't it?" Ron commented lightly.

"Yeah," Percy agreed. He felt happier than he had in a long time. "Come on then you, I'll pay and then we have to met dad."

Five minutes later Ron and Percy found themselves sat at a table in the Leaky Cauldron, waiting for their dad. Arthur arrived a few minutes later. "Time for a drink and then home for dinner, huh, lads?" he smiled at them.

Ron nodded happily, as did Percy. "How was work?" Percy asked.

"The usual," Arthur told them. "Butterbeer?" he then asked.

"Please, Dad," Ron said and Percy nodded. Once they'd finished their drinks they headed back to headquarters.

Percy sighed. "It's on nights like this that I'm going to miss the Burrow even more," he said. "It'd be nice to sit outside in the evening."

"That it would," Arthur said as they entered the house. "Maybe someday soon. So what do you two have planned before dinner?"

"Not a lot," Ron said. "Probably homework. When's the Order meeting tonight?"

"After dinner," Arthur told them and they went into the kitchen. Percy took the packages out of his pockets and began to enlarge them, handing Ron his parcel of books and his mum the groceries.

"What kind of stew is it tonight?" he asked his mother.

"Beef and vegetable," Molly told them. "And most of the Order members will be here since the meeting is straight after."

"Okay then," Percy said.

"Anything for dessert?" Ron asked hopefully.

"How does treacle pudding and custard sound?" Molly asked him.

"Great mum!" Ron said with a smile.

"Fancy a game of Gobstones before we get washed fro dinner Ron?" Percy asked.

"Sure," Ron answered and he and Percy entered the sitting room where Professor Dumbledore was sitting and sat down on the floor and started to set the game up on the low coffee table. The house was quiet.

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	5. Chapter 5

The game of Gobstones ended with Ron winning and Percy conceded defeat gallantly. The both went upstairs to wash for dinner and then came back down to set the table. There were a lot of Order members milling about the kitchen and Percy was feeling decidedly uncomfortable, not that anyone noticed him. Ron had gotten into a conversation with Tonks and Percy looked for a way to escape from the kitchen without being noticed. He managed not to jump in surprise when a heavy hand fell on his shoulder but he was extremely shocked. "Yes?" he managed to choke out. It was Alastor Moody, someone who Percy had only met in passing before.

"You'd be the other Weasley boy I take it? Percival, isn't it?" Moody asked casually.

"Yes Sir," Percy didn't know if he liked where this was going.

"Damn good family you've got, you'd do well to remember it," Moody told him.

"Yes Sir," Percy repeated and over Moody's shoulder he caught Ron shooting panicked looks at the pair of them Percy couldn't help but be pleased that his brother was worried about him, but was slightly concerned that there seemed to be something Ron was worried about involving Alastor Moody talking to him.

"You spacing out on me there, lad?" he was asked gruffly.

"Just wondering why my brother seems to think that there's something to worry about while I'm talking to you," Percy told him.

"Aye, he does look a tad concerned, doesn't he?" Moody commented, his magical eye looking out the back of his head. It creeped Percy out quite a bit.

"This bothers you, does it?" Moody asked, referring to his magical eye.

It took Percy a moment to get what he meant. "It'll just take a bit of getting used to," he said neutrally, "although I'm not going to deny that it has it's advantages!"

"Indeed, lad, indeed. But are they the advantages you need?" he asked shrewdly.

"I'll figure that out when I figure out what advantages I need in a given situation," Percy said wisely. "Although it is always useful to have someone you trust to cover you're back, but that someone you trust isn't always yourself."

"I can see that good common sense and bravery runs in the family," Moody said glancing at Ron.

"But that's only a good thing if used for the right reasons," Percy commented.

"Indeed, laddie, indeed," Moody agreed absently. "So, what are you planning on doing with yourself now?"

The question was asked so abruptly that it caught Percy off guard. "I'm not sure at the moment, I'll just do whatever is needed of me, although I doubt I'll ever go back to the ministry," Percy answered after a pause.

"You should give it some thought," was all Moody said before walking away. Percy shook his head to try and clear it. _That was weird _he thought and he carefully walked over to Ron, the kitchen seemed to be unusually full.

"What was that about?" Ron asked him from where he was leaning against the table.

"I'll tell you when I figure it out for myself," Percy told him.

Ron grinned at him and shook his head. "And I thought you were supposed to be the clever one," he teased.

Percy grinned back at him. "Well you obviously thought wrong," he teased back.

Ron simply laughed and the two pressed themselves against the table as another Order member squeezed past. "When did the order get so big?" Ron asked. "I don't know half of these people!"

"Well don't look at me for answers, I wasn't about last year," Percy reminded him.

"Yeah, good point," Ron agreed. "But there certainly does seem to be a lot of people here right? I'm not just imagining it, am I?"

"No, you're definitely not imagining it, there are rather a lot of people here," Percy agreed. "Ever get the feeling that you're just in the way?" he then asked.

"Definitely," Ron agreed. The kitchen had seemed to have shrunk.

"Come on, let's go through to one of the sitting rooms," Percy said as he made his way towards the door, knowing that Ron was following. They only stopped briefly to let their mum know where they were going. It was a relief for both of them to collapse on one of the couches in one of the many sitting rooms in the Ancient and Noble House of Black.

Both were silent for a while. "Do you think something's happened?" Ron asked, finally breaking the silence.

"I'm not sure, but it looks like its going to be an important Order meeting whatever's going on," Percy answered.

"I don't like it," Ron admitted.

"Neither do I," Percy told him. "But there's not exactly much we can do is there? We're at war Ron, it's not supposed to be enjoyable."

"Still doesn't mean I have to like it," Ron sulked.

Percy laughed at him. "I don't think anyone likes it, but it is, unfortunately, one of the facts of life."

"Yeah…" Ron sighed. "Everything keeps changing so quickly."

Silence descended again but both Ron and Percy quickly looked up when Fred, George and Ginny entered the room. "Oh," Fred said in shock, when he saw Percy sat in the room with Ron and the three of them hovered in the doorway, unsure of what to do. Percy met the three stares head-on, despite feeling extremely uncomfortable and the twins turned as one and left the room, heading for a different sitting room. Ginny hesitated for a second and Percy sent her a very watery smile before focussing his eyes on the floor and attempting to calm himself down. Ron sent a glare at Ginny's retreating back.

"Come on, lets go and get some pumpkin juice," Ron ordered and Percy followed Ron back into the kitchen with great reluctance, hoping that no one, especially his mother, would notice that something was slightly off.

It was his Father who noticed something was off. "I thought you're mother said you'd retreated to one of the sitting rooms," he said as he came to stand in the corner where Percy was standing and where Ron was perched on the worktop, both sipping on pumpkin juice. "Is something wrong?"

Percy and Ron shared a long look and Arthur raised an eyebrow at them both. "Run-in with Fred, George and Ginny," Ron finally said.

"Ah," was all Arthur said as he got himself a glass of the juice.

"Don't worry, nothing happened," Percy reassured him. "We're all still alive and no ones wounded."

"So you two haven't hidden the bodies anywhere?" Arthur joked.

"Nope, no bodies to be disposed off," Ron told him. "Yet."

"Yet," Arthur echoed. "Are things that bad?" he asked seriously.

"They could be worse," Percy said lightly, not wanting to make a big deal out of the matter.

"But they could be better?" Arthur asked.

"Yeah…" Percy admitted, looking away and trailing off.

Ron took a chance and changed the subject, although he did make a note to remember to try and talk to his father alone later on. "So Dad?" he asked. "How come the Order has suddenly seemed to have expanded?"

"Erm… I can't tell you that boys," Arthur replied, looking distinctly uncomfortable.

"Don't worry about it, dad," Percy told him.

"Yeah, but it was worth a try," Ron added. Arthur simply laughed and ruffled Ron's hair, despite the fact that Ron was taller than him when he was perched on the kitchen counter.

"You've grown again Ron," Arthur mused. "You're going to need some new clothes before you go back to school in the autumn."

"Don't worry about it Dad, I'm fine," Ron said. "I haven't grown that much." Ron knew he shouldn't be lying to his Father, but he knew how short money was and there were still schoolbooks to buy. He didn't mind looking slightly shabby, although he would look forward to his Christmas jumper this year because he had definitely out grown his other.

"Hmmm… if you say so, but we'll have to see what your mother says," Arthur told him.

"'Kay, dad," Ron mumbled and Arthur moved away to talk to Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had made eye contact with him.

Ron suddenly became aware of Percy studying him intently. "I think some of my old jumpers and things may fit you, if you want them," Percy said. "I doubt I'll need them as much as you will."

"If you don't mind," Ron said in a low voice. "I know how tight we are on money, mum and dad really don't need to be spending extra on getting new clothes for me!"

Percy just gave him a sad smile - he wanted to argue, Ron deserved new clothes, not hand-me-downs! - but he knew that his brother was right and that their parents were desperately short of money, although the Order was now financing the meals and there would only be Ron and Ginny's schoolbooks to buy this year.

Percy glanced around the kitchen again, still only recognising very few faces and he was relieved to see that the twins and Ginny hadn't decided to come into the kitchen. Professor Dumbledore caught his eye and gave him a small smile which Percy returned and then he turned his attention to his mother, who had come over to him and Ron. "Will you please go and tell Harry and Hermione that dinner is almost ready," she asked, not speaking to either one in particular.

Percy, seeing his younger brothers gaze cloud over, quickly said, "I'll go." And he did, he left the room and jogged up the stairs quickly, knocking on Hermione's door as Ron had told him that that was where both Harry and Hermione spent most of their time. He waited until he had gotten some kind of response before sticking his head around the door and both Harry and Hermione were visibly surprised to see him. "My mum said to tell you that dinner's almost ready," he said and then quickly left, both Harry and Hermione had sent him glares, not that Percy knew why. From the sound of things they weren't that close to Ron anymore. He quickly made his way back down to the kitchen and over to where Ron was, he was talking to Tonks and Remus. He didn't know Tonks well, but he didn't particularly want to stand alone and Remus had always seemed nice when he was teaching, but Percy didn't particularly know what type of reaction he was going to get.

"That was quick," Ron commented when Percy appeared next to him.

"Yeah, I didn't particularly want to hang around, although they both seemed surprised to see me," Percy told him.

"They were probably expecting me," Ron commented.

"Probably," Percy agreed, glad that he could now have an easy conversation with his brother and looking over Ron's shoulder he met Tonks's gaze and offered a shy smile.

"I'll hazard the guess of Percy then, should I?" Tonks asked quietly and Percy simply nodded, knowing that whatever she knew about him wouldn't be pleasant. He did however, manage to hold her gaze, but it was a difficult thing, but he wasn't going to be taking the easy way out anymore! Ron stayed quiet as well, not being able to place the tone of Tonks's voice, but he did touch Percy lightly on the hand and Percy dropped Tonks's gaze to give his brother a quick smile, which conveyed everything he was feeling without words.

"Don't forget that you promised me you'd help me with my Defence homework tonight," Ron finally said, although Percy had promised him no such thing.

"Don't worry, I haven't," Percy said quietly, "although I doubt you'll need my help," and then he glanced at Remus to back him up.

"Indeed, I think you're perfectly capable of protecting yourself, Ron," Remus injected into the conversation.

"Thanks," Ron whispered, blushing a little. "But I can still use improvement."

"Don't we all," Percy said quietly.

"Definitely," Remus said. "Circumstances have changed."

"I'll say they have," Ron muttered and Percy lay a gentle hand on his brother's shoulder, feeling protectiveness rising up in him. He noticed both Remus and Tonks smile at the gesture and he couldn't help smiling back and he was glad when Ron didn't try to shrug his hand off, as he would have done not so long ago. Then Percy felt someone place a hand on his own shoulder and he looked up into his Father's eyes.

"Just to let you two know that Fred, George and Ginny are talking to Kingsley if you wish to avoid them," he said gently. "We don't need any more causalities than necessary."

"'Kay, dad, thanks," Percy said quietly.

"Causalities? Now why would there be causalities?" Moody asked, walking over and joining the conversation. Ron and Percy shared a long look and then glanced quickly at their Father. "Hmm?" Moody asked again.

Ron looked again at Percy, clearly not wanting to answer and clearly not wanting to break Percy's trust. "Just a slight tension between me, Fred, George and Ginny, Sir," Percy finally answered, shooting a half worried glance at Ron.

"Tension being an understatement," Ron put in. "Full out open hostility towards Percy on Ginny and the twins behalf is more accurate." Percy smiled across at Ron.

"Yeah, I suppose that may be a more accurate description," he commented, both brothers trying to make light of the situation.

However, neither failed to notice that when they sat down for dinner, seated near Harry and Hermione who were completely ignoring them, Moody chose to sit with Fred, George and Ginny. "Oh, Boy!" Ron muttered under his breath and Percy fully agreed.


End file.
